Mullumbimby Community Action Network

Originally published 11Aug2013

mullum-zine

SUBMISSIONS needed

Newsletter 128
11th August 2013-08-11

Urgent!!

LAST DAY TO OBJECT TO O"FARRELL"s DECIMATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT
In case you didn"t do this already, details and sample letter http://www.nswfarmers.org.au/sumission-builder/mining-sepp-amendments
Here"s another one that doesn"t require you to think: http://nccnsw.org.au/take-action/protect-communities-from-mining?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=O%2527Farrell+stacks+the+deck+in+the+miners%2527+...&utm_source=YMLP&utm_term=take+a+minute+to+tell+the+g...
And http://www.facebook.com/naturensw

Also petition http://www.causes.com/actions/1757224-stop-fracking-our-food-water


ENROL TO VOTE! Last day Monday!


LIVING EARTH FESTIVAL – Sunday 1st September

MULLUM COMMUNITY GARDENS
Street parade starts 9 am at Council Chambers carpark.
Gasfield-free groups will be marching with banners, bells and whatever else that"s colourful, musical and fun. Shire total is now 97.4% wanting gasfield-free so let"s keep up the momentum, enthusiasm and engagement.
Please drop in to the KIDZART tent to see some beautiful artworks and create your own (kids of all ages welcome) to send message to government about what we want to preserve from CSG. Contact Deb 66843723 if you"d like to make an offering and can"t be at the festival.



SHORT DOCO ON CSG: A must see
http://www.welloftruth.org.au/?t=dXNlcmlkPTEwOTM4MyxlbWFpbGlkPTIyNDc=

MESSAGE FROM MAREE MURFET:

Some of you may not know I have been spending a lot of my time in the last 12 months working towards keeping Australia a beautiful and safe place to live by working to help stop the proliferation of coal seam gas and to some extent huge coal mines.

I have been very concerned this week to learn that the National body for gas production (APPEA) is spending 5 million on a pre election splurge to convince Australians that all forms of gas production are natural, innocuous and helpful. (see http://www.ournaturaladvantage.com.au )
For those who don't know about unconventional forms of gas mining such as coal seam gas, I have researched it pretty thoroughly and the more I've found out, the more concerned I've become. At major risk of contamination are our water tables and the great Artesian Basin, as well as health of our farmlands (that means everybody's food) and the health of people who live and work around the gasfields.

I have also travelled to Qld to be amongst the existing gas fields around Tara. It is sad, very sad.......that is all, I can, briefly, say. Yes the economies are "booming" but it is at huge price to people's ordinary wellbeing........to sit with a family whose kids are all sick (one worryingly so); feel their despair and hear how they've exhausted all avenues in their attempts to be heard; is both heartbreaking and galvanising at the same time. We simply cannot trust what is happening nor what we are told.
And to see the State Forests there ......they are half bulldozed. As one of my friends said....nothing can prepare you for that. There are soon to be 4000 wells in this area alone and in QLD 40,000

I am asking you to look at the film "The Well of Truth", listen to your heart, and if you get that inner prompting, please send it on to all your friends and contacts. The people power behind this movement is strong and it is lovely to see people standing up together......all doing their bit in a variety of ways.......you can see that in the film. If you want to see one of the processes of communities learning to be strong and protect their communities go to http://www.csgfreenorthernrivers.org ......click on "getting started". In one way it is very beautiful to see all types of Australians standing up together for what they feel is right. People Power is one of the things that keeps me strong.

And by the way, most of the gas is destined for India and China, going via pipeline to Gladstone and the port being created there is one of the things threatening the health of our Great Barrier Reef. Also I've heard that gas prices here have been increased to enable parity with what will be charged in Asia (unverified though).

And if you want info on health impacts, doctors in Australia have a well researched document at http://www.dea.org.au.

Also, we have other ways to get our electricity and gas e.g. solar thermal. And perhaps we as a nation, could learn to be productive with our mineral wealth rather than just using our lovely country as a quarry.
End of message from Maree Murfet, Main Arm.


SUPER TRAWLER: Could be back straight after election! Here"s a letter to send to local candidates.
http://stopthetrawler.good.do/permanent-ban/place-a-permanent-ban-on-the-super-trawler/thanks/


QUOTE FOR TODAY:
"Unless we change our direction we are likely to end up where we are headed".
Old Chinese Proverb from Katrina Shields book "In the Tiger"s Mouth: An Empowerment Guide for Social Action".

Cheers
Deb

http://
http://
http://
http://
www.csgfreenorthernrivers.org/
• http://coalseamgasnews.org/
• http://www.keerronggassquad.org/
• http://www.gasileaks.com/
• http://lockthegate.org.au/
• http://www.stoppilligacoalseamgas.com.au/
• http://www.scenicrim.qld.gov.au/coal-mining-and-coal-seam-gas
• http://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/coal-seam-gas-by-the-numbers/
• http://stop-csg-illawarra.org/
• http://www.ccag.org.au/
• http://bimblebox.org/
• http://ntn.org.au/
• http://www.facebook.com/